The need to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that either reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles in that they are selectively driven by one or more battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on the internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle.
A high voltage battery pack is employed to power the electric machines of an electrified vehicle. The high voltage battery pack typically includes multiple battery arrays that included a plurality of interconnected battery cells and various electronic components that are required to interface with the electrified vehicle. Traditionally, the high voltage battery pack is mounted in a passenger compartment, cargo space or underbody area of the electrified vehicle and therefore may occupy an amount of space that would otherwise be available for carrying passengers or cargo.